California Pastures Remain Poor

California is still struggling when it comes to the conditions of our rangeland and pastures. Sabrina Hill has more.Click to Open or Download Audio Report
US Agriculture Department meteorologist Brad Rippey says for the nation as a whole, only 28 percent of pastures and rangeland is in poor to very poor shape, and 45 percent is in good to excellent. In fact, Rippey says over most of the eastern half of the country things are looking good.

For example, 92 percent of Alabama’s pastures are rated good to excellent, 91 percent in Maryland, 93 in New Jersey, and 96 in Maine.

Meanwhile, some industry analysts are expressing surprise at the numbers in the new USDA report on cattle feedlot activity.

Agriculture department livestock analyst Shayle Shagum says the new cattle on feed report surprised a lot of people, especial the low numbers of cattle that were placed into feed lots last month. The industry analyists were generally expecting a drop of two and a half percent from July a year ago, but in reality, it was a 10 percent drop – with only 1.7 head going into feedlots.

Prices are currently averaging about $123 a hundredweight. Shagum says prices will go up as the year continues.

Feedlot inventory is currently 10 million head, which is down a million since January.